Marine mine destroyer



March 23, 1943. H. J. GANIS v MARINE MINE DESTROYER Filed May 6, 1940 :ZZZIZC ;22222:

' Zhwentor HARRY J. GANIS I Q z i Gttorneg 5 Patented Mar. 23, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT 3 Claims.

This invention relates to means for connection with the forward portion or bow of the vessel for the explosion and destruction of mines designed to cripple or sink vessels contacting therewith.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved such a means as will better accommodate itself to the rolling of the vessel due to turbulent seas through which it may be traveling.

A further object of the invention is to provide for the event that the mine contactor and its carrying frame are destroyed by the explosion of a mine, such portions can be readily replaced by another carried aboard the ship.

Other objects will be apparent from the disclosuraherein'f The invention is embodied in the example illustrated in the accompanying drawing and set forth in the description herein, the features of novelty being pointed out in the claims.

In the said drawing Figure l is a View in side elevation illustrating the means as applied to the fore or how portion of a vessel, the latter portion being indicated in broken lines.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the contactor or grid and the floats on a considerably smaller scale.

Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line IV-IV Fig. 1.

In the views, the characters 5 and 5 designate the members of a pair of beams preferably of steel for connection with the starboard and port sides of the ship, said beams each being shown as suitably braced by a truss 6 connected with the ends of the beam and extending over a projection 'I secured to the outer side of the beam.

Each of said beams is pivotally supported in a suitable rocker bearing 8 at the lower end of a hanger 9 secured to the outer side of the forward portion of the vessel 22, and if desired to the rear end of a V-shaped bracket 23 of metal secured around the forward portion of the vessel, said bracket conforming somewhat in shape to the horizontal contour of the forward portion of the vessel. The ends of the beams 5 aft the said bearings 8 are held slidingly within an arcuate strip of steel H1 secured offsetly to the side of the vessel to help hold the beams in substantially parallel planes.

The forward ends of the beams 5 extend a suitably safe distance beyond the prow of the vessel where they are secured at points l2, [2 to a cross beam ll preferably of wood. The construction 'thus described constitutes the main supporting frame of the apparatus.

The frame for carrying the mine contactor includes a cross beam l3 preferably of wood pivoted b a itab e swiv nst u o '4 a i smiqd to h m d le o th b am ll that ea h be m all b apa l o s i t n 9 th swive 14 with respect to the other. C onnected with and extending forward from the bar [,3 are four par- @11 ba 15 P abl o Wood ha n m ta l c forked ds '5 e wa o hich onnect at suitable points withthe contactor to, support the latter in an upright position. The contactor ii is a grid like or open work structure of metal such as shown in Fig. 3 so as not greatly to impede the progress of the vessel through the water. Secured at each of the upper corners of the said grid is a suitable float I8 of such buoyancy as to support the contactor I! at a normal and suitable position to strike a mine in the course of the ship.

Braces I9 are shown as extended from the bars 5, 5, of the main frame over posts 20 on the cross beam II and secured to suitable points on the contactor grid, to assist maintaining the proper position of the contactor to strike a mine.

Vertical guides 2|, H, are secured to and offset from the starboard and port sides of the vessel in rear of its prow to maintain the contactor supporting structure in the fore and aft line as respects the vessel.

In operation it will be apparent that when the ship rolls or pitches, the side bars of the main frame can oscillate up or down on the pivots 8 while the contactor supporting fram can oscillate on the swivel Hi to maintain a practically level position as regards or controlled by the water because of the floats, and therefore stand in a position to strike a mine in line with the course of the vessel. It is somewhat likely that a heavy explosion of a mine will cause damage or destruction of the contactor and its frame by reason of its frangible parts, but such parts, as well as the contactor, can be readily and promptly replaced from a supply of spare parts carried aboard the vessel.

In high seas or when there is no likelihood of mines in the neighborhood of the vessel, the supporting frame and its contactor frame can, with appropriate and obvious hoisting tackle be swung upward on the pivots 8 to fetch the forward portions and parts of the apparatus out of the water where they may be held and thereby reduce impedance to the travel of the vessel.

The forms, materials and arrangement of the 2 asigvsi parts can be changed, and some parts omitted without departing from the gist of the invention as claimed.

What I claim is:

1. Means for destroying marine mines for connection with a sea going vessel including in combination a pair of beams for pivotal connection at their rear ends to opposed points on the starboard and port sides of the vessel near its midship, sai'd beams extending in parallel relation to each other beyond the prow of the vessel and adapted to swing on their said pivotal connections in planes parallel to a fore-and-aft vertical plane of the vessel, a rigid bar transversely connecting the forward ends of said beams, a

mine contactor and a, rigid supporting frame therefor, said frame having a rigid bar pivotally connected at its middle with the middle of the aforesaid bar connecting said parallel beams, and buoyant means for maintaining said mine contactor supporting frame in operating position in the water.

2. Means for destroying marine mines for connection with a sea going vessel including in combination a pair of beams for pivotal connection at their rear ends to opposed points on the star board and port sides of the vessel near its midship, said beams extending in parallel relation to each other beyond the prow of the vessel and adapted to swing on their said pivotal connections in planes parallel to a fore-and-aft vertical plane of the vessel, guiding means for the opposite sides of the vessel near its prow for supporting said beams in parallel relation, a rigid bar transversely connecting the forward ends of said beams, a mine contactor and a rigid supporting frame therefor, said contactor frame having a rigid bar for pivotal connection at its middle with the middle of the aforesaid bar connecting said parallel beams, and buoyant means connected with the contactor frame for supporting it and the contactor in operating position in the water.

3. Means for destroying marine mines for connection with a sea going vessel including in combination a V-shaped bracket to fit and be fixed around the forward portion of the vessel, the arms of said bracket extending to near the midship of the vessel, a pair of beams for pivotal connection at their rear ends to opposed points on the starboard and port sides of the vessel near the midship thereof, said beams extending in parallel relation to each other to beyond the prow of the vessel and adapted to swing on their said pivoted rear ends in planes parallel to a fore-and-aft vertical plane of the vessel, guiding means for connection with said V-shaped bracket for supporting said beams in parallel relation, a rigid bar transversely connecting the forward ends of said beams, a mine contactor and rigid supporting frame therefor including a transverse .rigid member pivotally connected at its middle 

